How the Facebook Timeline is Evolutionizing Social Media...Again

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

If you are reading this blog, chances are you landed here via Facebook. And if you landed here via Facebook, chances are that you, your business--or both--have a Facebook profile. In case you haven't noticed, the folks at Facebook like to keep us on our toes with changes to the virtual landscape. The latest and greatest "upgrade" is the Timeline. A once-optional user interface, Timeline will become a mandatory part of every individual and business profile on Mar. 31, 2012. So, what does this change mean for your company?

Click here to view our timeline!

There are several key components of Timeline that are different than the current profile page. While you may not love them, they are the future of Facebook--so it's important to embrace these changes instead of fight them. Here are some of the new features:

1. Administrator Access: The Timeline allows you to assign up to five different degrees of access for page administrators and gain access to real-time analytics surrounding popular activity metrics. 
2. Cover Photo: Possibly the most noticeable change, the cover photo displays across the top of a page's timeline...and it is sizably larger than the current profile picture. Use this cover image to tell your brand's story, showcase photos or highlight the unique selling points of a product or service. Remember, the cover photo cannot be a "billboard" for your business; that means it cannot include prices, purchase information, calls to action or company contact information. It also cannot urge people to “Like” or “Share” your page. 
3. Custom Tabs: These spaces will automatically display several items, like a brand’s photos and its number of “likes.” However, they can also be customized. You can have large icons linking to your custom tabs (i.e. Social Campaigns) at the top of your Timeline, giving them more visibility. If your business has apps or coupons, this is a prominent way to display them.
4. Optional Message Button: A private messaging option allows fans and customers to communicate with your business in a one-on-one environment. This feature gives customers the power to voice complaints or negative feedback in private, and out of the public Facebook eye. Private messaging gives your business the opportunity to (1) identify weaknesses with your service or product, and (2) offer real-time solutions to defuse customer concerns. Customers want to be heard, and this provides them with that platform. 
5. Pinning: By now, most of us have heard of Pinterest. In a similar fashion, the new Facebook pinning function allows companies to keep a particular promotion or offer at the forefront of their page for a full week. So, while you continue to populate your page with daily information and status updates, you can also keep timely messages "sticky" at the top, where they won't get lost. 

Ten years ago, the word Facebook was unheard of -- and now we can't imagine life without it. Concerned about the latest changes to the social media landscape? GDS social media strategists can help you make the most of Facebook's new functionality. To put Timeline to work for your business, or to inquire about monthly social media campaign plans, contact our NJ advertising team today. 

Dan Antonelli is the President and Creative Director of Graphic D-Signs, Inc, a NJ Advertising Agency specializing in small business advertising, marketing, and brand development in New Jersey and across the country.

5 Tips for Choosing a Small Business Advertising Agency

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

You’re a small business with a limited budget for marketing and advertising, but you need exposure. Large advertising agencies tend to work with big business and Fortune 500 companies, and their fees are often cost-prohibitive. So, how do you navigate the sea of choices when choosing how to spend your precious dollars?

The key to making strategic marketing decisions is aligning your company with an agency that specializes in small business advertising. Remember the following tips when deciding which small business advertising agency is the right one for you.

Here's a flowchart on how typical small business
ad agencies work. Click to view original images.

1. Consider the agency’s current client base. Be sure to peruse the ad agency’s own website; it will serve as a good indication of the work they do for their clients. Any reputable ad agency should provide a list of their clients and showcase the work they have done for them. As a small business, you should select an advertising agency with clients who are similar in size and scope to yours. Ad agencies that work with small businesses and service industries take an approach that is unique to advertising on a local level. Make it your due diligence to find the best match for your goals.
2. Inquire how the agency is structured. As a small business owner, you wear several hats in your business: CEO, marketing director, human resources manager. Your small business advertising agency partner should be able to guide you through the advertising and design process and take the place of an internal marketing department. In other words, the staff should fall somewhere between a one-man show and a five-level design committee. While it is wise to avoid a multi-layered approach, try to choose an advertising agency whose staff represents a mix of each advertising discipline: creative design, copywriting, web development and overall account management.
3. Experience IS necessary. You are hiring an advertising agency for a job (hopefully, a long-term one) and industry credentials should support their experience. Question the staff’s competence in all media strategies and channels, both traditional and innovative. Effective agencies must keep up with today’s ever-changing landscape and technology in order to design successful strategies for their clients. Awards won by agencies are certainly important, but the specific credentials, accolades and industry recognition show expertise
4. Does the agency support creative interaction? Yes, you are hiring an small business advertising agency for their creative and strategic expertise. But, sometimes egos can get in the way. Your opinion is invaluable in shaping your brand’s development. When interviewing ad agencies, consider the personalities there. Reinforce the importance of open communication and make sure the agency encourages client feedback.
5. Does their work excite you? An advertising agency's portfolio is a good indication of the work you should expect to get from them. Make sure you are impressed with their body of creative work and their ability to create advertising design work which meet defined marketing goals. Viewing small business advertising case studies is one way to see a holistic approach to brand integration.

Your small business advertising agency should also be your strategic partner. It can be complex for small businesses to get a handle on their advertising plan. Not surprisingly, sometimes the only direction small businesses receive is from those who sell advertising space. Ad sales executives will likely advise small businesses to put their advertising dollars into the outlets they represent, even when it does not makes strategic sense. Select an agency that has your best interests in mind, reviewing your budget and helping you to invest your advertising dollars where they are most effective.

Selecting the right advertising agency is a critical decision for your small business. Take the time to do your homework and choose a partner that will strengthen your brand and grow your business.


Dan Antonelli is the President and Creative Director of Graphic D-Signs, Inc, a NJ Advertising Agency specializing in small business advertising, marketing, and brand development, including HVAC logo design, and HVAC web design services.

Character Logo Design & Mascot Logo Design Examples: Inspiration for Your Small Business

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

Why Character Based Logos Work for Small Business Brands

Character logos and mascots from the 1930s through the 1940s, and even those used later in the 1950s and 1960's we're often employed in the marketing of different brands and their products. From the Michelin Man to Tony the Tiger, these characters helped build brand recognition, and were images that served to evoke emotions for the viewer, and connect in a more meaningful way than simple typography or photography ever could. While this technique was heavily favored during these periods, it started to lose popularity in the 1970s, and up until a more recent resurgence in retro and nostalgic branding, has been a relatively unpopular branding technique employed by small businesses.

Retro Branding is Back

We've certainly seen a huge resurgence in demand for retro branding, and especially retro branding employing characters and mascots for small businesses at our small business advertising agency. We firmly believe in this style of branding and vintage logo design - especially branding that employs characters - which are used to serve as the foundation for a small business brand campaign. The feeling these characters help evoke, and the sense of nostalgia they connote is one that resonates with many viewers across a broad demographic spectrum. These logos instill trust in the brand, they portray longevity - even if the brand is new. And they make the business appear reputable. But more importantly - they create memorable brands.

Making a memorable brand for a small business is challenging. They don't have the money that large businesses have to invest in creating brand awareness. So, the small business needs to make sure their image stands out in a meaningful way, and leaves a lasting impression. Character based logos tend to do that - because the viewer connects to the brand in a more meaningful way than other branding techniques. And the fact that this type of branding and vintage logo design is still relatively unpopular is all the more reason why it works so well; it's unexpected, it appears fresh - and the viewer probably hasn't seen it before.

Below are a few examples of some of our favorite character logo design samples, and mascot logo design samples.

Character Logo Design Samples

Here's a cute little character logo that helps brand this HVAC company in Illinois.

The character in this logo promises "Your clothes, delivered with Courtesy' which is their tagline. A memorable character logo which has helped make them the leader in their Rhode Island market.

This cute duct mascot logo design really evokes a playful, yet memorable brand image for this duct cleaning business.

We're friendly, and we're here to help. This unique character logo design is memorable and easily understood, especially from a distance when employed on company vehicles.

Notice this outlet in this character based logo design example? A nice retro-themed design that speaks to the company's longevity, and service.

The mascot logo design was a creative way to distinguish this brand from larger, national franchises.

Need something fixed around the house? This character based logo design speaks of honesty, trustworthiness, and professionalism.

The cute nerd in the character logo design is going to fix your computer, fast.

A bug mascot for this pest control business is still friendly, thus avoiding the usual scare tactic approach that most pest control businesses employ in their branding.

A chocolate store with a cute character logo design.

This fun character logo design is simple, easy to understand and works well with the company name.

Here's a playful character based logo and illustration for this established sign company.

This mascot logo design makes it clear who is this boss for this hockey retail store.

Definitely inspired by the advertising characters of yesteryear, this character logo design stands out among all the usual approaches employed by landscape contractors.

Need some one to fix your plants? The illustration for this mascot and character logo design can do it.

The mascot in this mascot logo design is really a smart ass. Good luck trying to catch him!